Attachment for sewing machines



May 28, l935.- J. D. KARLE 2,003,200

ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Aug. 1, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 1iiivkl/zill/i/m I sfohn D. flarie W4 m as: 43

Wmaw W May 28, 19.35. J D, KARLE 2,003,200

ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Aug. 1, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2fihvweam John D. Karla Patented May 28, 1935 ATTACHMENT FOR SEWINGMACHINES John D. Karle, Roselle Park, N. J., assignor t o The Singer'Manufacturing Company, Elizabeth, N. J a corporation of New JerseyApplication August 1, 1933, Serial No. 683,112'

12 Claims.

21 35 stitches.

I l In the drawingsz Figure 1 is a front elevation, showing a portion ofa sewing machine with my improved attachment .fixed thereto.

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing the .position of theparts at the beginning of the left to right shifting movement of thepresseroot. r Figure 3 is a rear elevation. I I Figure4 is adisassembled perspective view of the actuating mechanism. I

My improvedattachment is shown applied to awellknown Singer family typesewing machinevhavingthe usual spring-pressed presser- ;bar I,reciprocatory needle-bar 2, needle-clamp 13, and needle 5. v I v In itspreferred embodiment the attachment icdtnprises a channel block 5adapted to be securc'dfby the fastening screw 6 to the angular lowerportion of the presser-bar Carried by the-block 5 is a-plate, designatedgenerally as 1, having an. upstanding inclined arm 8 and a cross- .arm 9formed with elongated apertures l0, and outwardlyflprojecting lips Hwhich form a guiding' channel. Slidably held in the guiding channelbythe screws I 2 is a bar |3 having a depending portion M to which issecured by means of the screw |5 a presser-foot l6 formed with anelongated needle-aperture 'IG'. Fulcrumed upon the upstanding arm 8 ofthe plate 1 by the studpm I! is a swinging member |8 having its lower"end |9 extending down between an eccentric stop .2Q,,,adjustablysecured to the slide -bar l3 bythe screw: I, and the end of the knurledheaded adjustable stop-screw 22 fitted into a threaded aperture in thelug 23 fixed upon the end of the slidebarL] The swinging memberlB has anopening 24; (Fig. 4) with inwardly extending projections 25 and 25'.adapted to embrace and engage a cam element 26 having a plurality ofcircumferentially spaced projections 21. Fixed to the cam-element 26 isa ratchet-Wheel 28, and the cam-element and-ratchet-wheel are rotatablymounted on the upstanding arm 8 of the plate 1 by means of a bearing-pin29.

' 'Fivotall'y secured to the arm 8 by the pivot-pin 30is'alever 3|formed with a forwardly extendling arm32 and a rearwardly extending arm33. The lever 3| isconstantly urged downwardly by a coiled spring 34(Fig. 4), one of the ends of the spring acting against the arm 33 of thelever and the other end against the arm 8 of the plate.. A pawl 35 ispivotally secured to the lever 3| by the pivot-pin 36 and isspring-pressed in aclockwise direction by a spring 36' which reacts be-5 tween the lever 3| and the pawl 35. V

. Secured to the back of the arm 8 ofthe plate 1 by the pivot-screw 31is a finger-lever 38 formed with a cam surface 39 and a stop 40.As-viewed in Figure 3 when the finger-lever 38 is moved from the fullline to the dotted line positionthe camsurface 39 engages the rearwardlyextending arm 33 of the lever 3| and forces it upwardly. In 7 thisposition the forwardly extending arm 32 of the pawl carrying lever 3| israised to a position above the range of the needle-bar clamp 3 so thatthe attachment'may berendered inactive at the will of the operator andwithoutstopping the vsewing machine. I 7 j I Operation Assuming theneedle-bar andneedle be in the position indicated in Figure 1, theneedlebar moves upward in the usual manner, and during its upwardmovement the needle-clamp 3 I .ment 2% being fixed to the ratchet-wheel28 is also moved one-eighth of a revolution. The rotation of. thecam-element Tilt-causes one of the circumferentially spaced 7projections 21 to contact the inwardly extending projection 25 andforcethe swinging .member I 8 to swing clockwise 4o bout its pivot I];this swinging movement causing the lower end IQ of the member N to :abutthe adjustable eccentric stop 20 and shift-the slide-bar l3 and thepresser-foot I3 to the left, laterally of thelineof feed. :The shiftingof the presser-foot It occurs while the usual four-motion feed-dog 421sbelow the throat-plateQ43 and is completed just prior to the'point inthe cycle when the feed-dog 42 contacts the work. After the feed-dog 42has fed the work forward the needle descends, forming the stitch, andonthe upstroke of the needle the needle-clamp3 again engages the arm 32 ofthe lever 3| and swings the arm upward which causes the pawl 35 to againadvance the ratchet-wheel one step. This causes 56 one of thecircumferentially spaced projections 2'! to contact the inwardlyextending projection 25' and cam the swinging lever l8 counterclockwiseabout its pivot II; this swinging movement causing the lower end IQ ofthe swinging lever [B to act against the end 22' of the knurled headedscrew 22 and shift the slide-bar I3 and presserfoot I6 to the right, theparts again assuming the positions, as indicated in Figure 1. From theforegoing it will be observed that in the rotation of the cam-element26, its peripheral projections successively engage those of the swinginglever I8 to vibrate the same and thus reciprocate the slide-bar andpresser-foot.

When it is desired to render the attachment inactive or ineffective tovibrate the presser-foot the finger-lever 38 is swung about its pivot.If the lever 3| is in the position shown in Figure 3 the upper portionof the cam surface 39 of the lever 38 moves under the rearwardlyextending arm-33 andholds the lever 31 in this position, and when thelever 3| is down the cam-surface'39 engages the arm 33 and forces thelever upwardly. It will be observed that the finger-lever 38 is pivotedtothe arm 8 of the plate 1; thus remaining stationary when the machineand attachment are in operation. This construction permits the operatorto shift the lever at will and during the operation'of the machine.

If the machine is being used to sew a straight seam it is obviousthatthe vibrating mechanism may be rendered operative to vibrate thepresserfoot to produce a zigzag seam without stopping the machine and atthe will of the operator. This is accomplished by simply shifting thelever 38 from the dotted-line to the full line position as shown inFigure 3. This feature makes it possible to render at anytime thevibrating mechanism for the work-reciprocating member or presser-footeither effective or ineifective to shift the presser-foot, therebygreatly enlarging the field of usefulness.

From the foregoingdes'cription considered in connection with theaccompanying drawings, the construction, manner of operation and severaladvantages of my improved attachment will be clearly and fullyunderstood. It is apparent that such a device has a wide variety ofuses, and it will be understood that the form, construction andarrangement of the several elements employed may be varied. Therefore,the privilege is reserved of resorting to all such legitimate changestherein as may be fairly embodied within the spirit and scope of-theappended claims.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what I claim hereinis:-

1. A sewing machine having, in combination, stitch-forming mechanismincluding a reciprocatory needle-bar, a needle carried thereby, apresser-bar, a frame fixed to said presser-bar, a

presser-foot, means actuated by said needle-bar for imparting avibratory motion to said presserfoot in a right line relative to saidframe, and means for rendering said last named means inactive to vibratethe presser-foot at the will of the operator and without'stopping thestitchforming mechanism.

2. In a sewing machine, stitch-forming mechanism including areciprocatory needle-bar, a

needle :carried thereby, feeding mechanism for advancing the work pastthe needle, a presserfoot, mechanism including a pawl for vibrating saidpresser-foot, means actuated by the needlebar for operating said pawl,and means for moving said last'named means out of the path of movementof the needle-bar whereby said mechanism may be rendered inefiective.

3. In a sewing machine, a presser-bar, stitchforming mechanism includinga reciprocatory needle-bar carrying a needle, work-feeding mechanism, apresser-foot, mechanism actuated by said needle-bar for vibrating saidpresser-foot, said mechanism including a lever adapted to be actuated bythe needle-bar, a pawl carried by said lever, and means for moving saidlever to a position out of range of the needle-bar.

4. A zigzag-stitching attachment for sewing machines having, incombination, a plate adapted to be secured to the presser-bar having anupstanding arm and a cross-arm formed with a channel, a slide-barcarrying a presser-foot fitted in said channel, a swinging member havingits lower end in operative engagement with said slide-bar and fulcrumedon the upstanding arm of said plate, a cam for actuating said member,and means for actuating said cam, said last named means including aspring-biased lever pivoted to the upstanding arm of said plate, a pawlpivoted to said lever, and a ratchet-wheel fixed to said cam.

5. A zigzag-stitching attachment having in combination, a plate, aslide-bar mounted on said plate, a member pivoted to said plate and inoperative engagement with said sliding-bar, a cam for actuating saidmember, a ratchet-wheel fixed to said cam, a lever also pivoted to saidplate and formed with a needle-clamp engaging arm, a pawl pivoted tosaid lever in a position to actuate said cam, and means carried by saidplate for moving and holding said lever in one extreme position of itsrange of operative movement.

6. A sewing machine having stitch-forming mechanism including areciprocatory needle-bar, a pressure-bar, a frame fixed to saidpresser-bar, a work-vibrating member, mechanism actuated by theneedle-bar and adapted to vibrate said member in a right line relativeto said frame, and means for rendering said vibrating means operable atwill during the operation of 'the stitchforming mechanism.

7. In combination with a sewing machine having a needle-bar and apresser-bar, a plate secured to said presser-bar, a slide-bar carryinga. presser-foot mounted on said plate, a swingable member pivoted tosaid plate and in operative engagement with said slide bar, a cam foractuating said member, a ratchet-wheel fixed to said cam, aspring-biased lever also pivoted to said plate, said lever being formedwith an arm extending into the path of movement of said needle-bar, anda pawl carried by said lever for actuating said ratchet-wheel.

8. A zigzag-stitching attachment comprising a spring-biased operatinglever adapted to be operated by. the reciprocatory needle-bar of asewing machine, a work-engaging member, mechanism operated by said leverfor vibrating said work-engaging member, and means for moving said leverout of range of the needle-bar,

whereby the vibrating mechanism may be rendered ineffective to vibratethe work-engaging member.

9. A zigzag-stitching attachment for sewing machines having a frameadapted to be secured to the presser-bar of .a sewing machine, apresserfoot, andmechanism for vibrating said presserfoot relative tosaidframe, said mechanism including a ratchet-wheel, a cam actuatedthereby and having .a. plurality of circumferentially spacedprojectionsya swinging lever having an opening which receives said camfor actuation thereby, a lever pivoted to said frame and adapted to beactuated by the needle-bar of a sewing machine, and a pawl sustained byand movable with said lever for imparting a step-by-step movement tosaid ratchet-wheel.

10. A zigzag-stitching attachment for sewing machines having a frameadapted to be secured to the presser-bar of a sewing machine, apresserfoot, mechanism for vibrating said presser-foot relative to saidframe, said mechanism including a ratchet-wheel, a cam actuated therebyand having a plurality of circumferentially spaced projections, aswinging lever having an opening which receives said cam for actuationthereby, a lever pivoted to said frame and adapted to be actuated by theneedle-bar of a sewing machine, a pawl sustained by and movable withsaid lever for imparting a step-by-step movement to said ratchet-wheel,and means for rendering said vibrating means ineffective to shift thepresser-foot.

11. A sewing machine having stitch-forming mechanism including areciprocatory needle, a

presser-bar, and straightaway work-feeding mechanism'and azigzag-stitching attachment comprising a frame, a presser-foot,mechanism including a pawl and ratchet actuated by the needle-bar forvibrating said presser-foot relative to said frame, and means locatedbetween said needle-bar and presser-foot for rendering said mechanismineffective to vibrate the presserfoot at the will of the operator andwithout stopping the stitch-forming mechanism.

12. A sewing machine having stitch-forming mechanism including areciprocatory needle, a

presser-bar, and straightaway work-feeding mechanism and azigzag-stitching attachment comprising a frame, a. presser-foot,mechanism including a pawl and ratchet actuated by the needle-bar forvibrating said presser-foot relative to said frame, and means locatedbetween said needle-bar and presser-foot for rendering said mechanismeffective to vibrate the presserfoot at the will of the operator andwithout stopping the stitch-forming mechanism.

JOHN D. KARLE.

